Taiwan on march to Frankfurt Book Fair with 807 top-notch publications

2018/01/08

6 October 2017 /

The Taiwan Pavilion at the 2017 Frankfurt Book Fair is set to feature the theme of “Reading Taiwan,” focusing on the humanistic spirit of local comics and paper-based arts and crafts. Comic book artist Zuo Hsuan of Rites of Returning fame will give three book signing sessions, as well as attending the tea service and the screening of three documentary films on Taiwanese writers in the pavilion. Cité Media Holding Group CEO Fei-peng Ho is also giving an introduction on the opening day to the superlative achievements of Taiwan’s publishing industry, showing the world how local publishers manage to bring historical images back to life through cutting-edge color restoration technology.

Hosted by the Taipei Book Fair Foundation (TBFF) under the auspices of Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, the Taiwan Pavilion will be located at Hall 4.0 D59, in an optimal location next to the China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea booths. A total of local 98 publishers are expected to take part in the event; showcasing 807 top-notch publications from Taiwan.

From Oct. 12th-14th, featured artist Zuo Hsuan is scheduled to give three demonstrations and signings at the book fair. Hailing from Daxi District in Taoyuan City, Zuo Hsuan won a bronze medal at Japan’s International Manga Awards earlier this year for her long-form debut Rites of Returning, which has already sold French and Japanese copyrights. Based on her own childhood memories, the book paints a vivid picture of young love and nostalgia set against the backdrop of local temple festival culture. A life-size cut-out of Third Lotus Prince (aka Prince Nezha) from the book is poised to become main attraction of the Taiwan pavilion.

Another highlight of the pavilion is an exhibition titled “The Maritime Silk Road and the World Civilization.” Co-organized by Cité Media Holding Group and Hsu Chung-Mao Studio, the show is a preview of the eponymous book scheduled for release at the end of 2017, which displays 600 historical photographs handpicked by the curator from 20,000 originals worldwide that were meticulously restored using state-of-the-art digital technology over two years. According to Ho, this book and exhibition serve to showcase Taiwan’s world-leading achievement in image enhancement and restoration.

Ho will join the author Hsu Chung-mao in an Oct. 12th forum at the ARTS+ Runway Stage in Hall 4.0 to discuss their journey of creating physical reading experiences in the digital age. Hsu will also provide two personal guided tours of the exhibition. In addition, three documentary films on classic Taiwanese literature will premiere at the pavilion, aiming to enhance cross-cultural understanding of Taiwan’s literary gems via the integration of filmmaking and writing.

Other activities of note planned for the pavilion include two international copyright matchmaking conferences, as well as publisher exchanges organized in collaboration with Turkish literature representatives and Malaysia’s Kota Buku. The opening ceremony is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 11th at the Taiwan Salon, paving the way for robust cooperation between local and international publishers.